CHUCKIE: You got nice legs, Trace.
You ought to show them off more, you know, shorter skirts.
Thanks, Chuckie.
But I didn't come here for compliments.
That's not where I keep my cash.
Where do you keep it?
Show me yours first.
I did a little cooking before you got here.
All I need is a taste.
No, do a split down with me, or you don't get jack.
Since when do I have to split down with you?
Since you ordered so big.
You're a cop.
Oh, right, go ahead.
Frisk me. Find my wire.
You're a cop.
A junkie'd be all over a free split down, right?
I do my rigs with this guy.
Tell me about you and this guy, huh?
What is this, "Love Connection?"
No, I just make it my business to know who I'm dealing with.
But you're not dealing, Chuckie.
I'm out of here.
Wait.
I was just, you know, uh, relax, will you?
You don't have to do this.
We had a deal, right?
Let's do it.
What did I say here, half an OZ, right?
You know, there's war on drugs out there.
Cops could bust through those doors any minute.
Hold, police, wait.
Take it easy.
You, I knew it.
You are under arrest for the possession and sale
of a narcotics substance.
Well, let's go.
OK, which one of you has the key?
Key, what key?
Hey, uh, Paulie, did you bring a key?
What key?
I'm really going to miss you guys.
Give me a hand?
Nice work.
Who are you?
I'm your new boss.
[THEME - HOLLY ROBINSON, "21 JUMP STREET THEME"]
THEME SONG: We never thought we'd
find a place where we belong.
Don't have to stand alone.
We'll never let you fall.
Don't need permission to decide what you believe.
Ooh, I said jump, down on Jump Street.
I said jump, down on Jump Street.
Your friends will be there when your back is to the wall.
You'll find you need us because there's no one else to call.
When it looks hopeless, a decision is what you need.
You better be ready to, be ready to jump, 21 Jump Street.
You heard me right.
The kid is selling heroin in the high school.
Now, his real name is Howard Smith,
but he goes by Jam or JMR too.
This kid is smart, and he's patient.
So far, no one's been able to bust him.
Which is why we brought in Trace.
Sergeant Tracy Hill, Detective Hoffs,
Officers Penhall and McCann.
Trace is going undercover for us in the school
that, uh, Jam works out of.
All right, guys, listen up.
This operation is not to denigrate anyone in this unit.
Trace is Narcotics Division's top undercover high school
officer, over 30 busts, and more importantly,
as many convictions.
Her testimony sticks.
That's because I tell the same lie every time.
Penhall, you're going into the high school
as Trace's main backup.
Detective Hoffs, you'll be running secondary with McCann.
All right, everyone clear on this?
One thing, um, I don't wear a wire.
Well, I have to stay in contact with you.
You don't need a wire to hear me if something goes down.
It's procedure.
Captain?
A wire would have had me cold on my last job.
You were there.
I don't wear, or I walk.
OK.
Trace, that'll be all for now.
The rest of you, I'd, uh, like a word.
Okie-dokie, guys, what seems to be the problem with Trace, huh?
Is it that she's a narc, or are you guys afraid she's
going to show you up?
Captain, you'd never take an ultimatum for one of us.
No wire or she walks?
I'm not crazy about that testimony crack--
"tells the same lie every time."
You squeegee head, I think she was joking.
Well, maybe so.
But the fact is is that it's easy to pick up bad habits
from where she's from.
She's your new partner on temporary assignment.
You cut her the same slack you'd cut each other.
That fair enough?
Where are you from?
Who wants to know?
Ouch.
Old habits.
So you and your friends dis the narc?
What?
Your unit's not comfortable working with a narcotics
officer, right?
There are concerns.
Listen, when I got in the Narcs Division,
I learned what people think of me.
It's really none of my business.
Sounds like solid advice.
[sighs] I'm memorizing my new identity tonight.
Who should I look for in homeroom tomorrow?
Mr. Craig, chemistry teacher.
Mr. Craig.
You know about chemistry?
Yeah, uh, water, H2O, e equals mc squared.
That's physics.
Well, I'm teaching sort of a combined
situation course thing.
I'm a much better cop.
I'm a much nicer person.
Damn.
Why aren't you in class?
Who are you, the hall monitor?
Do I look like a hall monitor?
Yeah, at some of the schools I've been to.
Oh, where are you from?
Who wants to know?
And why you gotta hide them pretty legs?
You ought to wear shorter skirts,
if you want candy bar badge.
I love that creamy milk chocolate.
You've got a sugar habit.
Name's Jam.
Can you help me out?
I don't deal with people I don't know.
What kind of Junior Achievement crap is that?
You-- you want references from other hypes,
give you the name of the last halfway house I was in?
Matter of fact.
Minneapolis, great city.
Like, what is Prince still doing there?
How long you been behind stuff?
I don't know.
I could use a bump right now.
I know that.
I'm gonna give you something you can play with.
It'll run you 40 bucks.
Be at Fifth and Main at 4 o'clock today.
Somebody tell you a joke?
I don't deal with people I don't know.
You still don't even know my name.
Down.
But I know a junkie when I see one.
[bell ringing]
He didn't seem that hip to me.
I scarfed a candy bar like a junkie between jolts,
and he bought it.
So what are you saying, Fuller's intelligence is wrong?
How often do you trust police intelligence?
I mean, I usually feel it in here, don't you?
Yeah, well, I usually feel it a little lower.
I meant my stomach.
Of which there is a lot less lately.
I used to be kind of--
well, I was sort of--
What he's trying to say, Trace, is that he
has lost a lot of weight.
Yeah, I lost a lot of weight.
And, uh, well, you see, he used to be truly undercover.
Mhm.
No, no, I was a powerful mass of molten steel,
just yearning to bust free.
But this little wimp came out instead.
Isn't there somewhere you got to be?
- Nope. - Another chocolate malt?
Oh, here.
Will you excuse us, please?
Hm.
Will you take a hike?
I can't.
You can't?
I'm sitting here watching how you look at her.
I'm debriefing my partner.
Oh, come on.
Look, it's none of my business, all right?
But this is not the girl to get tangled up with.
Excuse me.
Do you know her?
Well, you heard what she said about intelligence.
She's a live wire, man.
She's enthusiastic about her job.
That doesn't make her a bad cop.
Hey, guys, I hate to break up your thing.
I just want to catch the bad guys and go home alive.
Look, it's nothing personal.
We just-- - It's OK.
I'd feel the same way, an outsider coming in.
My deal goes down in 15.
All right, let's do it.
Straight up you two, huh?
Hey, Minneapolis.
Where's Jam?
It's 50 bucks.
Jam said $40.
I'm saying $50.
I want to see what I'm getting.
What are those, barbs?
That was not our deal.
He said he'd get you something.
This is something.
This is BS.
You don't want?
You tell your boss, next time, I deal with him.
The deal is junk.
Or I find myself a new man.
OK, 30 barbiturates at $40.
$50.
His runner's getting her own action--
tough little girl.
$50.
Can I get your John Hancock right here?
The lab goes ballistic if I miss a signature line.
Hilda?
Don't tell anybody.
I'm named for my grandmother.
And all my life, I always wanted a name like Tiffany
or Jennifer or something.
Tracy's a nice name.
Yeah.
I kind of invented myself.
Well, you are definitely one of a kind.
The other day, how come you told me that you were nice?
I don't know.
I can't usually afford to care what people think about me.
Will it sound like BS if I say there's something about you?
Yeah.
I thought so.
So how about this motel they're putting you up in?
Is it nice?
Mhm, the best, free ice down the hall,
all the cable I can watch.
I usually call my folks, see what my mom cooked for dinner,
turn in early.
You know, if you want to sometime, you-- you could come
over to my place for dinner--
I mean, with me and my kid.
You have a kid?
Yeah, I kind of adopted him.
I'm a lousy cook.
But he's a great kid.
We could eat him.
Yes.
Yeah?
Yes is a great word.
How was work?
Work was great.
We're going to get the bad guy.
I met a girl.
I think you would like this girl.
I don't like girls.
Well, she's not really like a girl.
She's like-- she's like a lady.
You like her?
Do I like her?
I hardly know her.
You like her.
What are you, a wise guy?
You want trouble?
You ever want to see this again, you'll wizen up, kid.
Huh?
All right, you say your prayers.
[speaking spanish]
And God, please bless Aunt Marta, Uncle Douglas too.
DOUG PENHALL: Thanks.
Amen.
Good night.
[music playing]
I can sure do without these early morning briefings.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
Someone should tell Fuller about conference calls.
You know, reach out and touch?
You OK?
Oh, yeah, I was just up late last night--
Arsenio.
Could you help me with this?
I just can't get this thing on.
It's very pretty.
Thanks.
I knew when I bought it I'd have trouble getting it off and on.
But you know, sometimes some things look so good.
Yeah, I got shoes like that.
You sure you're OK?
Oh, you mean my hands.
They always shake till I have that first cup
of coffee in the morning.
[knocking]
She's here.
OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, OK.
Hi. - Hi.
Come on in.
I'm sorry I'm late.
Oh, no, no problem.
Uh, you look different.
Oh, my, um, off hours clothes.
Can I take your coat?
Thanks.
This is my kid.
What's your name?
Clavo.
Clavo, right, Clavo.
Hola.
[speaking spanish]
For my work sometimes, yes, I speak Spanish.
[speaking spanish]
What's he saying?
Um, he said that you were married to his aunt.
Yeah, I was.
And he also said that you bought
this shirt special for tonight.
Go in the bathroom and wash up for dinner.
I hope you enjoy this meal.
It may be your last.
I bought a book to get fluent, but it's just not in my makeup.
I mean, I have enough trouble with English.
Oh, so there I was in this corporate office
behind a desk looking at flow charts.
And I thought I would rather die standing up.
And my father died soon after that.
I have a brother, but he's a real bum.
The summers were great.
I'd go visit my Gram.
She lived in Texas.
I would eat rhubarb pie and catch fireflies.
I loved my grandmother.
Boston was my team, yes, not too flashy,
but monster dependable.
Is it all right if I ask you about Marta?
It's kind of funny hearing you say her name.
No, I-- I don't mind.
She was here from El Salvador.
She was trying to help her people.
The INS sent her back.
I went after, but it was too late.
She had been killed.
That's awful.
You know, I think she would've liked you.
Not that you two are anything alike,
I mean, what with her culture and all, very reserved.
The things that she did, brave, even for a female.
You know, it's-- it's kind of weird.
I mean, when we talk, she'd listen to me just
like you are with her eyes.
With her, it was like all the lights were on,
and everybody was home.
I know this isn't smart to do while we're both
working on the same operation.
It's all right.
We're not doing anything.
I gotta respect you for that.
I just--
I just think it would make things more difficult.
You've been here before.
I don't think so, not like this.
I'll get your coat.
JUDY HOFFS: I'm just telling you what I saw.
I don't think so.
I know Trace.
I had dinner with her.
It's cool.
Penhall, you're a lot smarter than this.
You want to talk about smart?
You see her hand shaking one morning
before work, automatically, she's doing heroin.
Well, I didn't say I had definitive proof.
I'm just saying.
She seems a little--
I don't know-- wired.
Well, she acts normal around me.
It's her job to act.
Be careful, OK?
Yeah, whatever.
[bell ringing]
I hear you're giving me ultimatums.
Address for a rendezvous?
Am I going to be happy?
Girl, you're going to touch the sky.
There will probably be a few needles full, just to test me.
But it's a start.
It'll lead us to the big bust.
Patience, I always tell myself, patience.
What's wrong?
You seem a little up.
Adrenaline rush, I get it before all my buys.
You know, it keeps me on my toes.
Doesn't that happen to you?
Yeah, sometimes, I guess.
You know, it's bad luck to say good luck.
I didn't say anything.
No, I mean I am.
I've been wanting to say it all morning.
When this thing is over, I--
I think that we should--
I mean, if you don't mind--
see each other.
It's a stupid idea, huh?
[sighs] My life is really complicated.
And I-- I don't know.
I go onto the next job.
I don't have a lot of time.
I only need a little time.
I go to work.
You know, I-- I crack jokes.
Keep Clavo fed and all that kind of stuff.
But the truth is, I don't feel good.
And you come along, and life ain't so bad.
Maybe even it might be good again.
I just want us to spend some time together to see if there's
anything there, you know?
Can I think on it?
Sure.
I'll give you to Arbor Day.
Hm.
What's this for?
Well, you're cold, aren't you?
Oh, yeah.
Here we go.
You're shaking like a leaf.
[music playing]
You're over due, ain't you?
You want to use my needle or be safe like all them
brochures say?
I do it alone.
Now, you split down with me, or there's no sale.
You mark me a junkie are first meeting.
What? Do you think you're wrong?
Oh, you're a junkie, all right.
I just gotta make sure you're no cop.
Now what's it gonna be?
I ought to quit this game.
It's your call.
Just like I thought, a leg girl.
I'm seeing some friends next week from the halfway house.
They're going to want to party.
Yeah, well, I'll see what I can do.
Gimme.
I called Clavo.
He wants us to come by and take him for ice cream, uh,
after we get back from the lab.
How much did you buy?
Just a few needles worth.
Any trouble?
It's smooth sailing, baby, smooth sailing.
What the hell is going on?
Trace?
Oh, man, how could you be using?
It's just work, baby.
DOUG PENHALL: Work?
You get high at work?
I fake it just to let him know that I'm cool.
I shoot through the vein into the tissue,
and every so often, it registers by mistake.
I'm going to have to tell Fuller.
But I'm in tight with Jam now.
I don't care.
You're not going to blow everything we worked for,
are you?
You shot dope tonight.
Occupational hazard, everybody knows.
Nobody's talking.
I am.
You're not going to make me lose my job, are you?
[sighs] I wish you weren't so hard right now.
I feel so good.
I have to go to the lab.
I swear it was a mistake.
I tried to tell you people otherwise,
but the truth is, narcs are poison.
Not her.
No?
We're two inches from busting this guy, and she gets high?
To save the operation.
You've been undercover.
You know what it's like.
Exactly.
Look, Doug, things don't always go by the book.
But you don't jump to the other side.
I don't think that's what happened.
I think it's what she said, a mistake.
Yeah, yeah, and she probably gave you her
occupational hazard speech too.
What's that?
Bad narc standard rap, Doug.
They have to shoot up with the bad guy
in order to win their trust.
They would like to be good cops, but the job requires otherwise.
Doesn't it?
I don't know.
I know that if it happens again, she
goes straight to detox with a bust for buying and using.
I honestly don't think that'll happen, Captain.
OK, but she wears a wire from now on.
I want to hear every move she makes.
Yeah, Reynold, this is Adam.
Send me up a wire kit.
We were worried you were staying home sick today.
Sure you were.
Come here, Trace.
I can hear you from here.
I'm not going to do no wilding in a public place.
Psh, you still don't think I have a brain, do you?
Did you have a good party last night?
It was OK.
Right.
Who you loyal to, Trace?
Myself.
Now, that's interesting.
Because see, Dave and Lisa here, now, they're loyal to me.
Aren't you, Lisa?
Is this just a rift to back out of our deal?
Hey, you said two OZs.
I got a carload of friends coming in from Minneapolis.
Your friends depend on you, don't they?
Yeah, we have a good time.
You're loyal, Trace.
I want you to have this.
See, Lisa?
This is a good woman.
We'll see about that deal.
Are you OK?
Yeah, that Jam guy is one weird freak.
What happened?
He must have figured out Lisa's
been skimming off his sales.
He did a freak show that should scare her out of retail.
What about me?
Do I still have a job?
You want college placement information?
Uh-huh.
I'm primarily interested in an Ivy League college.
You're Howard Smith, right?
Yeah.
Excuse me, but I didn't see your name
on this semester's honor roll.
Well, I realize I may have to spend a remedial year
or two in junior college.
Are you serious?
It says guidance counselor on the door.
Aren't you the counselor?
Look, why don't you have a seat?
I have some resource aids that might be what you need.
Great.
You trust me, but I have to wear a wire.
[huffs] It is the same old story.
Let's talk.
I can't believe you're giving me grief about this after I went
to bat for you with Fuller.
I don't need anyone to go to bat for me.
I'm a good cop.
You were loaded last night.
I explained why. Why?
Do you want to look at my arms for track marks?
Go ahead.
No, I don't want to check your arms.
Oh, great, everything you said, it doesn't mean anything,
does it?
No, it means something.
It means a lot.
This job, after a while, you don't know what's real.
What are you talking about?
I make my living lying to the dealers, to the courts.
It's the only way to get the bad guys.
And it spills over into my own life sometimes.
You lie in your life. Did you lie to me?
No, no, I'm not.
It just takes so much to stay clear on what's real.
And I think, in a way, I'd given up.
And then I meet you and your son.
And this voice inside my head goes, this is real.
Thanks for going to bat for me.
Forget about it.
I'm going to make some changes in my life.
Yeah?
Cut down on chocolate malts.
Chocolate malts, chocolate, OK, no more chocolate malts.
Maybe we should go.
I believe in you.
I-- I do believe in you.
[scream]
Excuse me.
Get out of my way.
Excuse me.
[moaning]
JUDY HOFFS: Let me help you.
It's OK.
DOUG PENHALL: Somebody got her with a knife.
He got me in that meeting to have an alibi
when he had his girl knifed.
Do you think he made you?
[sighs] No, I don't think he knows I'm a cop.
I was just the best available alibi, no classes to teach.
So this girl, Lisa, you said she
was making money on his deals.
20% according to Trace.
Now, Davey Han's the guy who probably
did the actual knifing.
He's been at or near every dirty deal Jam's been run in on.
He left school right after the knifing.
There's no leads where he is.
Everyone does Jam's dirty work.
It makes the young man very hard to nail.
TRACE HILL: Captain, we're about to nail him.
He set up the deal I've been asking for.
It's sweet.
All we have to do is show up.
And get out alive.
If something doesn't feel right, let the bust go.
Are you wired?
Like a Christmas tree.
Just don't scramble the wires, or I'm standing across from Jam
sounding like my phone machine.
See you, guys.
[knocking]
Trick or treat.
I wanted to make sure you came alone.
I came alone.
I've got a lot of people waiting though.
Inside.
He made her.
I don't think so.
We say two OZs?
That's what we said.
JAM [ON WIRE]: I'm into you, Trace.
It means you ain't got no friends from no Minneapolis.
I know you're selling this junk for a nice profit.
What?
Are you going to stick me for it the way you stuck Lisa?
Ow, ow.
Maybe I'm going to hurt you worse than I hurt Lisa.
OK, OK, you made me, but I'm not horning your works.
I'm on my way to LA.
This will pay for it.
Where'd you get buy money from in the first place?
You-- you saw my legs.
Look, I got sick of rotary types winning the prom queen--
like I've been to a prom.
Well, all right.
OK.
TRACE HILL [ON WIRE]: All I want to do is our deal and go.
JAM [ON WIRE]: This can be arranged.
TRACE HILL [ON WIRE]: OK, so we're cool now?
JAM [ON WIRE]: Oh, we're cool.
We'll do a little business.
TRACE HILL [ON WIRE]: Here's my money.
I'll take the stuff and be out of here.
JAM [ON WIRE]: Just like we agreed.
Nice doing business with you.
Have a nice trip.
You're under arrest for possession
and sale of a narcotic.
Man, this is crap, A-1 crap.
No, no, no, no crap, Howard, a lot of nice square meals
coming your way.
DISPATCHER [ON RADIO]: [inaudible] 148 [inaudible]..
Thank you, all clear.
If he'd have found my wire, I'd be dead.
Sergeant, go home, take the phone off the hook,
and get some sleep.
We got paperwork.
Take the phone off the hook, and Clavo and I
will come by with a pizza.
OK, [inaudible].
Hey, all right, heard you busted Jam.
Hm.
All right.
Wish I could say the same about his buddy.
Davey?
Yeah, I can't find the guy anywhere, man.
The guy's thin air.
What are you doing?
Davey does all of Jam's dirty work.
He's going to blame Trace for the bust.
[busy signal]
Oh, damn, it's busy.
Look out!
[music playing]
[knocking]
[dial tone buzzing]
How do you do it?
Do you dip into the evidence of every bust?
Is that why you won't wear a wire?
Not every bust.
That's refreshing.
Do you sweet talk all your partners?
I mean, do they all end up buying shirts for dinner?
No, Doug, no, it's not like that.
[phone ringing]
No, I need it.
I need it.
Hello?
ADAM FULLER [ON PHONE]: Yeah, Fuller here.
We picked up Davey down by the wharf.
Your girl's out of danger.
And all this time, I was worried about her.
Thanks, Captain.
Just let me do one last rig.
I thought I knew you.
I actually thought--
I thought I actually found somebody.
You did.
Just let me do one last rig, and then I'll quit.
I will.
You're under arrest.
You have the right to remain silent.
If you give up that right, anything you say
can and will be used against you in a court of law.
You have the right to an attorney.
If you cannot afford an attorney,
one will be provided for you.
MAN 1 [ON TV]: Election-- WOMAN 1 [ON TV]: Be--
WOMAN 2 [ON TV]: And I--
[static]
MAN 2 [ON TV]: Tomorrow, I find--
[tv voices blurring]
Bad dreams?
Uh-huh.
Yeah, these aren't much better.
Come on over, buddy.
Why doesn't Trace come see us anymore?
I told you about that.
Al you said was she won't come.
Well, it's like this.
Her work took her away.
Why does God take people away?
G-- God takes people away.
Well, he takes people away because sometimes
he wants them to be with him.
And sometimes he takes people away because he
wants them to come back better.
Oh, I don't like my pillow.
You don't?
OK, this pillow here, you know, it's a-- it's a special
sleeping pillow.
I've spent many nights on this pillow.
You want to try it out?
Will Trace ever come back?
I hope so, buddy.
I hope so.
[music playing]
[theme music]
THEME SONG: Jump.
[music playing]